"Our experience shows us that these young children are normal children endowed with normal qualities and failings. Let us give them a chance and the means to cultivate these natural gifts while we endeavor to cure some of their failings." Father Joseph Simon of Timkatec

March 30, 2010 Update

TIMKATEC OPENED MARCH 1 WITH ALMOST 180 STUDENTS—BY MARCH 25, 304 STUDENTS—STILL VERY DIFFICULT TIMES

Dear Friends of Timkatec:

We are receiving regular reports from Timkatec and see some improvements, but many difficult days ahead. Timkatec 1 and 2 were the first to open half days on March 1. Last week Timkatec 3 is also open. These are the only schools now open in Petion-Ville. We have also had 2 large deliveries of food supplies from CRS each giving basic food for about 1 month.

We also were able to have a much needed generator delivered from Santo Domingo and thank the Salesian Missions for that wonderful gift. As Father had predicted, the availability of hot food resulted in more of the kids coming back. However even at this late date, 20 of the staff and over 150 of the students are unaccounted for and Father now feels that we may never see many of them again. We all hope that they have gone elsewhere in the country but must accept that in such a major catastrophe, many of them may have died.

Father’s strategy of concentrating his early efforts to assist his remaining staff has worked well enabling somewhat normal operations, albeit half-day classes, at all three schools. Many lost everything, with homes destroyed. His assistance to them enables them to return to work on behalf of the kids.

An exhausted Fr Simon and CRS representative during food delivery

Our 2010 goal—as in this 2009 photo—is for our trainees to graduate

There is now a greater need than ever for Timkatec and he is planning to open the shelter at Timkatec 3 for 30 or so kids each night. The need is huge and only can be fulfilled with the help of the Friends and other supporters in Canada, France and Belgium. Please talk to your friends and relatives about the work of Timkatec. They can Google father Simon and see that this is an operation that has been going for 16 years rescuing the poorest of the poor from the streets of Haiti.

Father Simon is a leader who gets things done under the most difficult of conditions. Who could ever imagine a catastrophe as great as this? In any country.

3% of the country dead and another 6% injured and sick.

30% of the population affected by a natural disaster of such magnitude that no nation in 100 years has been so badly hurt.

A capital that was almost totally destroyed with its infrastructure, such as it was, now almost non-existent. 25% of the Port au Prince population has already left to be resettled elsewhere.

The challenges are monumental, and without someone of Father Simon’s knowledge, focus, long hours, contacts and will they could not have been overcome. No one knows better than Father Simon and his staff the ways to rescue children abandoned on the streets.

We implore you all who read this to be generous in your support. 100% of your donations go to support Timkatec and that support is delivered through CRS Haiti.

The Banks are not functioning properly—substantial European funds were received but the amounts withdrawn are limited to 5% of the balances at any time.

Fuel needed for the generator and cooking is hard to find and very expensive.

People have been remarkably patients but crimes are now becoming more frequent.

There is deep concern about the air quality, and the dangers of an epidemic as water supplies are contaminated. Personal hygiene is very difficult.

People break into the city water pipes as a last resort, and Timkatec must spend $1000 monthly to bring water by truck.

As Father has explained many times, when children live on the streets for any period of time, they have no structure for life and lose all hope for the future.

It is up top us as his supporters to contribute to Timkatec the wherewithal for the staff to ramp up to be able to take on the maximum number of "street children" that his resources and our funds will permit. We know that he is their champion and will spend our donation wisely and get the results that we all desire.

Please be generous in your support. During normal times the efforts required logistically are difficult. Today that is magnified many fold.

"Our experience shows us that these young children are normal children endowed with normal qualities and failings. Let us give them a chance and the means to cultivate these natural gifts while we endeavor to cure some of their failings." Father Joseph Simon of Timkatec.